Black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) is a perennial small shrub, indigenous to central and northern Europe, Caucasus, Central Siberia and Himalaya. It is commonly grown in Eastern, Central and Northern Europe, in addition to New Zealand and China. Black currant berries are known for their high content of health-related constituents with nutritive and potential medicinal properties. The berries are rich in anthocyanins, polyphenols, and vitamin C.These fruit quality components are strongly influenced by genotype, but can also be significantly modified by environmental conditions, and agronomic practices. Another important fruit quality attribute is fruit size, which vary with genetic background and yield, as well as climate conditions.
Norwegian scientists have studied the impact of climate on yield performance and fruit chemical composition of four black currant cultivars over an eight-year period (2005-2012).
Two Scottish cultivars 'Ben Hope' and 'Ben Tron' and two Norwegian cultivars 'Kristin' and 'Varde Viking' were tested. Climatic data were collected from the meteorological station at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Data sets for the climatic conditions in the years 2005–2012 were used in this study. All climatic data is available at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences website (NMBU 2014).
Results of the study are available online from last July 10th (see link) .
Correlation analysis between fruit quality parameters and climatic conditions over the period of eight years showed that temperature, PAR, UV and precipitation can have a large impact on the accumulation of health-related phytochemicals in black currant fruits.
Correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between yield and precipitation during fruit development, whereas summer temperatures and radiation were negatively correlated with yield. Higher soluble solid concentrations occurred in years with high summer temperatures and radiation, while anthocyanins concentrations were negatively correlated by summer temperature.
Furthermore, a negative correlation between phenolic compounds and radiation in June and July was observed. Temperature and radiation in late spring and summer were also negatively correlated with ascorbic acid concentration, while precipitation during summer was highly positively correlated with this important vitamin.
The results indicate that climatic conditions are responsible for part of the variation in ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, antioxidant capacity, dry matter, soluble solids, pH, as well as yield and berry weight. The presented results showed, that yield and quality of black currant fruits decreased in warm and dry summers, confirming the low drought and heat tolerance, as a reflection of black currant evolutionary adaptation.
Scientists conclude that cool summer conditions with ample precipitation are fundamental to achieve high yield of quality black currants, rich in phenolic compounds, anthocyanins and ascorbic acid. The observed cultivar variation in the content of health-related phytochemicals provides a good potential for further breeding of new cultivars with improved fruit quality.
Source: T.L. Woznicki, O.M. Heide, A. Sønsteby, A.-B. Wold & S.F. Remberg, 'Yield and fruit quality of black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) are favoured by precipitation and cool summer conditions', 2015, Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B — Soil & Plant Science, DOI: 10.1080/09064710.2015.1052093
Contacts:
T.L. Woznicki
Department of Plant Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences
P.O. Box 5003, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
Email: tomasz.woznicki@nmbu.no